Penny Pincher: Airport parking

Local knowledge is key to understanding a city quickly. And there are several ways to find that knowledge - even for free

Parking at Heathrow Airport - an overnight hotel with parking could work out cheaper (Ben Gurr)
We’ve all done it. You spend hours finding a £30 flight online, and
sit back with that smug “I’ve just nabbed a bargain” feeling.
You only remember parking when you’re halfway to the airport in the car,
and — oops — it costs £100.

Parking can be pricier than flights these days, but we still treat it as an
afterthought. Don’t. Here’s how to stop the charges taking off
when you do.

1 Book it...
Thousands of us turn up without booking. That’s just daft. A week at Heathrow
Terminal 5 long-stay is £110 at the gate, but £65 if booked a month in
advance. So book.

2...and do it early
Got the flight? Get the parking slot. Most car parks operate a similar pricing
model to the low-cost airlines — the later you book, the more you pay.

3 Look off-site
Airport car parks tend to be closest to the terminals, but